Telangana Hands Over Land for Mamnoor Airport
The airport was handed over to the AAI in 1950 after Operation Polo and is reported to have closed after 1981.
Hyderabad: The state government on Thursday handed over 300-acre land required for the revival of Mamnoor airport in Warangal to the Union ministry of civil aviation. This cleared the way for construction of the long-pending airport project, which is expected to be completed within two to two-and-a-half years from the start of construction.
The handover took place at Begumpet airport, where Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka transferred the acquired land to Union minister of state for civil aviation Rammohan naidu, with the Airports Authority of India (AAI) set to bear the full cost of development.
“Handing over 300 acres of land required for the Mamnoor airport soon after the formation of our government is a day that will go down in history,” said Bhatti, recalling that the project had remained stalled for years despite an agreement with the AAI signed as early as 2007.
Bhatti said the Telangana Cabinet had sought the Centre’s support for airports in tier-2 cities, including Kothagudem and Adilabad, and welcomed the positive response from the Union civil aviation minister.
Minister Konda Surekha, who also attended the meeting, said completion of land acquisition and statutory clearances for Mamnoor Airport was a matter of pride for the state. She said the project gained priority after the present Chief Minister took office with a focus on developing Warangal as a major growth centre.
Minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy said Telangana, despite its rapid growth, currently has only one operational airport, and thanked the Union civil aviation ministry for giving priority to the Warangal project. He said proposals for airports at Kothagudem and Adilabad had already been submitted and that land would be handed over once feasibility clearances are received.
Naidu said the Union government was committed to strengthening regional air connectivity and taking the Mamnoor airport to the operational stage without delay and added that the AAI would fund the entire project, which includes a 2,500-metre runway, a terminal building, an Air Traffic Control tower, fire and safety facilities, and related works. He also commended the Telangana government for completing land acquisition in a transparent and time-bound manner.
The land acquisition forms a critical part of the revival plan for the Mamnoor airport, which was originally built in 1930 during the Nizam era and was among the largest airports in South India before Independence. The airport was handed over to the AAI in 1950 after Operation Polo and is reported to have closed after 1981.
As per Instrument Flight Rules requirements, a total of 949 acres and 14 guntas of land is required for the airport. Of this, 696 acres and 14 guntas were already with the Airports Authority of India, while an additional 253 acres were needed.
The state government sanctioned Rs 295 crore for acquisition of the additional land, which includes 220 acres and 275 guntas of patta land owned by 330 pattadars and 33 acres of government land. Notifications for patta land acquisition were issued on December 4, 2025, in Nakkalapalli and Gadepalli villages of Khila Warangal mandal, and the process was completed in less than a year, by November 27, 2025.
